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Mark Whalberg Starring in Uncharted Film Adaptation

Could Marky Mark be the live-action version of Uncharted's wise-cracking hero, Nathan Drake? According to a recent interview with MTV, the former Funky Bunch frontman is expected to star in the videogame-to-film adaptation that starts shooting next summer, directed by David O. Russell (Three Kings, The Fighter). (via Joystiq)

Whalberg doesn't confirm whether he'll be starring as series protagonist Nathan Drake, but it seems likely, given his assertion that director Russel is writing parts for other Hollywood heavy-hitters. Apparently, he's got Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in mind to play Whalberg's character's father and uncle, respectively. Those characters would be new to the Uncharted canon, having not appeared in either game, but given Russel's track record and the talent he's trying to involve, we're begrudgingly inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Whalberg also insists that the film won't be a "watered down version" of the source material, but given how the Max Payne movie turned out (and the fact that the Uncharted film script isn't even finished yet), cautious optimism is about all we can muster.